Vandals told to take up a sport or start knitting

Haylee Gough, Chloe Duroux, Lily Porra and Tayla Lambeth are Year 6 students at Grafton Public School. They penned the following piece for the local paper, The Daily Examiner.

Stop the vandalism

AS Year 6 students we are all sick and tired of inconsiderate vandals destroying our schools almost every weekend, disturbing our schoolwork, costing us money and forcing someone else to clean it up.

These thoughtless people are disturbing our schoolwork. Children can't work in their classrooms if the general assistant or their teacher is cleaning up the mess or something is being replaced.

Vandalism is costing schools across Australia millions of dollars a year. This money could be better spent on school resources, sports equipment and electronics, like whiteboards and computers.

Someone always has to clean up the mess, whether it is the cleaner, general assistant, teachers or maybe even the students. It is very dangerous to clean up broken glass and burnt property.

In conclusion, we insist that these vandals stop what they're doing NOW! If they're so bored on the weekend, why don't they take up a sport or start knitting.

Source: The Daily Examiner, 25/5/2010

Nats Kevin Hogan spins the resource profits tax for his NSW North Coast audience

Well one NSW North Coast Nationals federal candidate in this year's Australian federal election, Kevin Hogan, thinks he has finally found a local issue on which to hang his hat.

His 25 May 2010 letter to the editor in The Daily Examiner suggests that the new resource profits tax and rebate scheme (an opt-in replacement of the crude oil excise operating in parallel with state royalties) will seriously impair Metgasco's Casino project:

A tax too far
I MET with representatives from Metgasco last week.
They are gravely concerned that the Rudd Government's proposed new Resource Profits Tax will in their words 'seriously impair' Metgasco's Casino project.
They have written a letter to Kevin Rudd expressing their concerns.
Metgasco has invested tens of millions of dollars in the project to date.
It has the potential to offer local jobs and boost the local economy.
It also will offer a supply of 'clean' energy to the Northern Rivers, replacing some of our reliance on coal-powered energy.
This project does not deserve to be killed off by another bad policy decision by the Rudd Government.
Local jobs are more important than Labor taxes to pay for wasteful spending.
KEVIN HOGAN, Nationals Candidate for Page

Predictably Mr. Hogan has gone electioneering without looking into the company background.

In 2007 Metgasco Ltd received a $1 million grant from the Australian Government to assist with its exploration and development in the Clarence-Morton Basin [RWE Australian Business News, 1 May 2007].

Three years later in April 2010 Metgasco told the Excellence in Oil & Gas Conference that it had "A$29 million" in cash at the end of 2009, no debts, energy resources (ten gas/oil exploration wells showing significant coal seam gas reserves ) in trial production with good profit margins anticipated once fully operational and, that the Casino power station had reached development application stage.

According to what the company told ASX at the end of April it is continuing to investigate gas commercialisation opportunities and currently in discussions with several prospective customers and will be progressing its exploration and testing activities.

The company's share price is also tracking above the last ordinary share issue listed price of 11 May 2010, according to the Australian Securities Commission this week.
This despite the fact that share price had been steadily falling between mid-April to early May this year:



















[ASX,Metgasco Ord,Chart of daily prices over 6 months,Dec 2009-May 2010]

Indeed to date the company has never again reached the heady days of 2007 and 2008 when it share price went over the dollar.

Despite the Nationals candidate's protestations, the 11 May budget night announcement does not appear to have affected this company's Casino project. Something a spokesperson had to concede to The Byron Shire News on 11 May 2010.

The fact is that at this point in time Megasco is more an exploration company, rather than a fully operational development and production company generating strong positive cashflows and demonstrating significant value creation.
Therefore it is nowhere near attracting any form of 'super profit' in the foreseeable future.
The company would appear to be some years off from paying any appreciable level of tax directly to federal or state governments.

Metgasco is just another mining company lobbying against the prospect of paying a decent return to the nation when the good times roll and, Kevin Hogan just another wannabe politician happily stirring the pot in pursuit of his own ambitions.

***************************************

Hogan's attempt to spin the deferred national emissions trading scheme met a similar response from a NSW North Coast resident in The Northern River Echo on 13 May 2010:

Carbon dating
Kevin Hogan levels the charge at Kevin Rudd that the Prime Minister only believes in the latest opinion poll on an issue (Echo, May 6). Amongst other things, Mr Hogan links this claim to the deferral of the emissions trading scheme. Maybe Kevin Hogan doesn't study opinion polls because they have consistently shown over the last few years that the vast majority of Australians do want to see government action to decrease carbon pollution. Recent polling has the figure running at 65% in favour and it has been higher than that. The federal Labor government has attempted to get a price on carbon pollution and did strike a deal with Malcolm Turnbull to get the carbon pollution reduction scheme through the Senate. The Liberal/National coalition then moved to change its leadership to prevent the scheme from being enacted. Global warming may still be the greatest moral issue of our time but the Liberals and the Nationals do not believe that it is, and are doing all they can to make sure this Labor government does not get an emissions trading scheme underway. The electorate will have the opportunity to break the deadlock in the Senate at the next election. Maybe then we won't be in a position where the coalition blocks everything socially and environmentally progressive. A delay is not a backflip when the people creating the delay are the opposition parties. The cowardice on the issue of carbon pollution and global warming is being displayed by the Liberal/National coalition.
Eric Kaiser,Kyogle

Mid-week blues......

Clarence Valley and Yamba are special

 

Letter to the Editor published in The Daily Examiner on 24 May 2010:

 

Hospitality a hit

I RECENTLY brought my invalid mother Joy Hempenstall to Yamba for a four-night stay.

What started out a logistical nightmare became a seamless dream for her and for us, and I could not have done this without help from services provided by the Clarence Valley.

I have struggled with ways to thank them as everything seemed to pale into insignificance.

I hope these heartfelt words of thanks will reach them.

Firstly, we could not have Joy stay at our home because of stairs etc so we booked her into The Cove. Georgina and Jim were fantastic from the moment of inspecting the most suitable rooms to looking out for us during Joy's stay and various people coming and going. In fact it was hard to get Joy off the balcony overlooking Main Beach and who can blame her.

The girls at Maclean Community Health came to our rescue with the supply of equipment like bed sticks and the like. We were able to create a mirror image of where Joy resides in care in Brisbane and so provide a safe and familiar haven for her.

Clarence Valley Nursing provided overnight care for my mother and this enabled her to have some independent company and someone else to look out for her while I was able to slip off back home. She became so attached to these gorgeous girls she didn't want to let them go or she wanted to take them back to Brisbane with her.

Just when you think everything is going well I damaged a wheelchair I borrowed from a friend and with one desperate call to Janene at RSL Life Care I was able to pick up another chair within 30 minutes.

Joy experienced the very essence of Yamba while shopping at Zig Zag's Boutique, BWL Jeweller and Sweet Vintage where everyone was so kind, patient and helpful to us.

You people are amazing.

You have collectively given an old sick woman more to live for in five days than she has had for the last five years.

 FELICITY HEMPENSTALL, Yamba

Abbott wins Golden GLORIA inaugral award this month

Australian Opposition Leader Tony Abbott won an award this month when one hundred and fifty people gathered at NSW Parliament House on 17th May 2010 "to award the first ever Gay and Lesbian, Outrageous, Ridiculous and Ignorant comment Awards – the GLORIAs. Abbott got the Golden GLORIA for his admission on TV's 60 Minutes recently that homosexuality makes him feel threatened...

Forty nominations were received in seven different categories – Politics, Religion, Sport, Media, Law, Online/Misc and silliest statement by an LGBT person about LGBT people.

Over two thousand votes were cast online to decide the winners in each category. The Golden GLORIA was decided via a "boo off" by those who attended the dinner".

The winners in the first four GLORIAs category were:

Politics: Tony Abbott for his comments about feeling threatened by homosexuality and his follow up comments saying that [homosexuality] challenges the orthodox notions of the right order of things.

Religion: Jim Wallace from the Australian Christian Lobby for saying:
"Some of you won't like this but it is fact. In Australia, in Ireland, in America the people who are prosecuted for sexual offences against minors have in Australia been over 70%, [homosexual] and remember that the churches who have been the victims of this have had a policy where they don't accept homosexuals as part of their clergy. Yet in Australia over 70% of the offences have been committed by homosexual clergymen."

Sport: The Footy Show for skit in May 2009 featuring the fictitious gay brother of NRL siblings Matthew and Andrew Johns called Elton Johns.
In the skit, the Johns's father attempts to return the gay son, played by Matthew Johns, to hospital saying "I want to return this, it's faulty".

Media: Australian Communications and Media Authority for ruling an episode of Dante's Cove breached of the Code of Practice because it simulates male/male sex rather than male/female. Nine is questioning the decision-making and points out that similar depictions between males and females have been aired without incident.

Law US Court of Appeals – 4th circuit for ordering the father of a dead solider to pay $16,000 to Westboro Baptist Church when he took them to court for protesting at his sons funeral. Westboro believes that military deaths are the work of a wrathful God who punishes the United States for tolerating homosexuality.

ICAC investigation into lobbying in New South Wales - have your say on undue influence and corruption

Communities on the NSW North Coast are subject to sustained population pressure and the growing influence of developers both large and small is distorting the democratic process in relation to planning policy and implementation at state and local level.

Here is an opportunity for Northern Rivers residents to have their say on failing processes in formal and informal interactions between government, elected representatives, public servants/local government management and communities.

From the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) website:

The Independent Commission Against Corruption is conducting an investigation into lobbying of public officials and public authorities in NSW and the related procedures and regulatory system.

The Commission is seeking input from individuals and organisations through a call for submissions which must be received at the Commission by 5pm Wednesday 23 June 2010. See the guide for making a submission for more information.

Submissions may respond to the Commission's issues paper on lobbying, the investigation scope and purpose and other relevant issues concerning lobbying in NSW.

Lobbying in NSW - issues paper

Guide for making a submission to the ICAC

Scope and purpose of the investigation

The scope and purpose of the investigation is to examine whether the relationship between lobbyists and public authorities and public officials may allow, encourage or cause the occurrence of corrupt conduct or conduct connected with corrupt conduct and to identify whether any laws governing any public authority or public official need to be changed and whether any methods of work, practices or procedures of any public authority or public official could allow, encourage or cause the occurrence of corrupt conduct and if so, what changes should be made.

Is your local council using this tool?
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has recently released a Development assessment internal audit tool. The ICAC recommends that councils adapt all or part of this tool to address the potential corruption risks within the development assessment process.

Whales begin their annual migration out of the Antarctic killing fields into an evermore uncertain future

A 52-foot-long female Humpback whale and her newborn calf filmed in the South Pacific atoll of Moorea (Polynesia).
Image found at Big Movie Zone

As southern whales begin their annual trek out of the Japanese killing fields in the Antarctic to calve in warmer waters off Australia's far northern coastline and in the wider Pacific Ocean, they move into an evermore uncertain future.

Despite international concern about the fate of cetacean species, the Government of Japan and its uneconomic commercial whaling industry (conducting business under the guise of 'scientific research') continue to lobby vigorously for an end to the moratorium on whaling.

It is hard to see how the conference last weekend in Helsinki on Cetacean Rights: Fostering Moral and Legal Change will be an effective counterbalance to the votes and opinions Japan and other whaling nations will 'buy' at next month's International Whaling Commission four day annual meeting in Morocco.

Generally the Japanese media still see the debate as one centred on the good of national scientific research and how little whale meat is in actually eaten in the country. Ignoring any real discussion of environmental, biodiversity and species impacts from sustained killing in the Southern Ocean and the fact that whale meat appears to be entering the local pet food industry.

Wild Politics has promised to post Helsinki conference papers soon. Margi Prideaux deserves a round of applause for that undertaking.

Cetacean Rights Conference May 2010 Opening Address:
Fostering Moral and Legal Change Towards Cetacean Rights and presented conference paper abstracts

Lesser books you may have missed

Where ever I looked in the Oz blogosphere last week we were all being so deadly serious, so 'twas a relief to come across this #lesserbooks tag at Twitter.
Here's a small selection of titles on offer:

A Basement Master's Guide (Second Edition)
The Color Mauve
Pedagogy of the Depressed
A Clear and Present Annoyance
The Scarlet Debtor
Diary of a Cake Fiend
Tupac Kills A Mockingbird
Horton Hears a Where
War and Peas
Prude and Prejudice
The Maltseser Falcon
The Hitchhiker's Guide to Montana
Gone With the Breeze
Apprehension and Disapproval In Las Vegas
The Lion, The Witch and the Cupboard
The 38 steps
The Norwich Outpatient
Lard Times
Thus Spoke Uncle Bert

A Sunday smile.....

From xkcd

From Ned the Bear

All things greenhouse in New South Wales

While all things greenhouse appear to be marking time at a national level and, many who voted for Kevin 07 are unhappy and some horrified at the thought of his budgie-wearing counterpart Tony 10, matters chug along at NSW state level with average equivalent emissions this week running 15% above the level required to stop global warming and dirty energy prevails according to The Weekly Greenhouse Gas Indicator.

Queensland is a shocking 90% over equivalent weekly emissions levels for 1990 and South Australia is 12% below. The Northern Territory and West Australia are not tracked it this longtitudinal data collection.

New south wales

This week's (7 May to 13 May) NSW Indicator is 1.908 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, the breakdown is as follows:

In tonnes:

Electricity from coal: 1.106 million; 58.0%

Natural gas: 0.171 million; 8.9%

Petroleum: 0.632 million; 33.1%

This week

NSW's emissions from energy grew by 2.2% or 42,000 tonnes, due to an increase in emissions from both gas and coal-fired generation.

Emissions sources

Emissions from coal-fired electricity, which accounted for 87% of electricity generation in NSW this week, grew by 0.9% or 10,000 tonnes with a number of generation units operating at a higher capacity.

Emissions from gas grew by 23% or 32,000 tonnes.

Emissions from petroleum products continued at the same low level as last week – the lowest level of petrol emissions for the state in over two years.

Demand & Import/Export

Electricity demand grew 1.5%.

NSW imported 5.7% of its electricity demand from other states, compared to 6.9% last week.

Comparisons

This week's Indicator is 9.2% lower than the same week in 2009 and total emissions to this stage of 2010 are 5.5% lower than the similar stage last year.

This week's Indicator is 15% above the average equivalent 1990 weekly emissions and 1.3% below the equivalent 2000 weekly average.

The bloke ought to keep his mouth closed and let people think he's a racist idiot, rather than provide the proof

Patricia Laurie, Councillor for the North Coast Region of the NSW Aboriginal Land Council, has very neatly put a gigantic racist ignoramus on his backside.

Last week James Mackenzie told Byron Shire Council that the Aboriginal nations Arakwal and Bundjalung are a fiction. McKenzie claimed there was no Bundjalung nation, tribe, people, language, culture, clan, nor horde. "No Bundjalung anything." (The Northern Star, 14 May)

Here's Ms Laurie's piece Bundjalung nation 'very much alive'. It's in today's Northern Star.

Some days you wake up better than others. But last Friday, I awoke to discover that I wasn't real.

In the May 14 edition of The Northern Star, a story appeared entitled 'Arakwal, Bundjalung don't exist'.

You can imagine my surprise, given that I am both a Yaegl woman and a member of the Bundjalung nation.

I pinched myself, just in case, and can confirm for Northern Star readers that I am, in fact, real.

I can also confirm that the Bundjalung nation is very much alive, and is one of the best known in the country.

Tens of thousands of Aboriginal people alive today - myself included - identify with the Bundjalung nation, either as their country, or the country of their ancestors.

The bizarre and ridiculous claims have come from 'James McKenzie, a great grandson of pioneer James MacKenzie, who was called Wollumbin Gum Jimmy'.

Mr McKenzie somehow managed to grab a microphone at a meeting of the Byron Shire Council.

By the end of his rant, Mr McKenzie had abolished two nations and called for 'a parliamentary inquiry into the scandals and the politicians involved'. What, all of them?

I'd respectfully suggest to The Northern Star that while coverage of council is important - and in The Star's case generally comprehensive - you don't have to report absolutely everything that is said.

If a man stands and makes a fool of himself, it might make for a colourful headline, but given the ridiculous and divisive nature of what's been said, reporting it doesn't make for harmonious relationships in the community. That, I would suggest, is in everyone's interests.

To my black brothers and sisters I'd make two points: Firstly, you reap what you sow; if you want to help other people question Aboriginal identity because it suits your political agenda, then expect to have your own identity questioned. Secondly, since the British arrived in 1788, Aboriginal people have been kept busy fighting among themselves. It's one of the great 'tools of the oppressor'.

Finally, to Mr McKenzie: I note that you claim to be a 'descendant of the famous MacKenzies', who helped build this region since colonisation.

The fact is, Mr McKenzie, I don't get to define your identity, any more than you don't get to define Aboriginal identity.

You can advance all the bizarre conspiracy theories you like, but it doesn't change who we are. All that's changed is what we think of you.

Sources: The Northern Star and The Daily Examiner (pic)

McDonald's versus Yamba: BOYCOTT, BOYCOTT, BOYCOTT!

What one would expect; after the very pro-McDonald's Cr. Margaret McKenna snarled back at the council meeting gallery last Tuesday that if they didn't like the way she was voting they could vote with their wallets and not go to McDonald's when it opened in Yamba.......

A selection from the initial reaction on Facebook the day after Clarence Valley Council's infamous decision to allow a 6am to midnight eat-in and drive through fast food outlet in the small NSW coastal town of Yamba:

NO to McDonalds in YAMBA Disappointment tonight from CVC but Yamba stand proud! We showed a united, committed community against this inappropriate development because that's what we are and not a generic McDonalds town. 4000 signatures and 455 letters apparently not enough. Cindy Rawiri, Kerry Mcdonough, Kylie Leisinger and 10 others like this.

Judith Robinson
How much is McDonalds paying the council? With all those signatures and letters your council isnt listening :(
Dianne Schwinghammer
sorry to hear the result. The face of our Yamba will be changed forever and not for the better.
Kim Mcgowan
I'm with you Judith..........it sounds like something dodge has gone on.......anyway i will not eat there.......if i feel like treating myself and the family we will still drive to Grafton...........Yamba is just another town with another maccas nothing special about us !!!!!!!!
Theresa Bennett
smells like vomit fullstop remember that next time you walk past or open that paper bag bbbbaaaarrrrfffff council will allow it because their the only fat idiots that will eat the shit : p
Kaz Whitty
Good on you Yamba! Yes contact ACA! What did the State Govt do to our planning laws that ignore the majority vote of the people of a particular area..making our councils back down to the big end of town for fear of $$$ loss in court? We elected them to serve our interests...there has to be a loophole here!!
Ben Redlich
we had our honeymoon in yamba last year, the first time we've been there. i remarked at the time how refreshing it was to see no fast food chains, just local business. sigh...
Janet Purcell
Need to change this page to boycott McD's. Not sure, but I think that Newtown had a boycott campaign and McDs closed down. Very disappointing, but everyone should send a big thank you to Councillors Ian Tiley and Sue Hughes who spoke really well against this abominable development. And send a no thanks to Clrs Ian Dinham (Yamba), Jim Simmons(Maclean), Margaret McKenna (Grafton), Craig Howe (Grafton) and most disappointingly Clr Pat Comben (Grafton) sold Yamba out on this one!!!!!
Sharon Uthmann
So sad to hear that public opinion did nothing to the outcome. Welcome to increased litter and increased social problems - have come from an area full of take away venues and all you get is a dirty town where those who need to be feeding their families healthy meals, instead end up with cheap fat filled meals. Such a shame! I for one will be boycotting McDonalds in Yamba when I visit and I hope that will result in a closure.
Marilyn King
Go broke Macca's!!!!! Will not step a foot inside, am so sorry our Council could not see the light! BOYCOTT!!!!!
Marion Uithol
Is there a link to the proposed affordable housing residential development planned for West Yamba? Who is behind the scenes for both propositions?
Shayne Louise
let them put Macca's on the highway, then it can taste even more like mud when it floods... keep fighting... need more media coverage... ACA, sunrise, anything... knock down the security fences and pickets each time they go up... they cant arrest everyone in town...
Kym Thornton
how sad, i for one won't be going there..
Karlen Holloway
Support our local businesses. Boycott maccas don't let ur children eat it. Don't give in to it's conveniece.
Karlen Holloway
Also! Yamba slsc uses a shed on the site where maccas has been proposed to store competition equipment. We will now loose this space and have no where else to store this equipment. So much for them helping sporting and local community
Sandra Mason
That is really sad, hate McDonalds. You know who to vote out in the next election
Yesterday at 5:44am
Matthew Ellks
There goes the nieghbourhood.....
Tash Keys
This is the most right wing council and bunch of councilors ever (alebit for a couple)! It was a shoo in once they passed west yamba. Just look at what they are doing! They are saying its ok to over develop sensitive coastal areas, its ok to destroy habitat without the proper consent (Gulmarrad), its ok to snuff your nose up at the community. If anyones interested in taking this council and its councilors on - i'm in!
Jen Smith
Very disappointing that community wishes have been ignored. As a community we can elect & not elect councillors but what happens to the non elected decision makers in council. Who are they responsible to and what was their rationale for ignoring what the community wants and what are they getting out of this.
Trudie Brown
money ALWAYS talks over peoples words...ITS DISGUSTING!!
Frank Lucas
Well they didn't get into Byron so hang in there.
Aloha
Dave Schwarz
Shame - just remember the names of the 5 idiot councillors - Simmons, Comben, Dinham, Howe, McKenna - while we can get rid of them next council election, it may take a lot longer to get rid of McDonalds but I support the boycott calls, no way will I be seen in the Yamba business ever (and yes, I do use them when travelling, clean toilets, quick food, they are fine on a highway!).
Dave Schwarz
Can I suggest everybody sends the infamous 5 a short but succinct email telling them what we all think -
addresses are:
margaret.mckenna@clarence.nsw.gov.au
craig.howe@clarence.nsw.gov.au
ian.dinham@clarence.nsw.gov.au... See More
pat.comben@clarence.nsw.gov.au
jim.simmons@clarence.nsw.gov.au
Now nothing too rude, I just said "Disgraceful decision re McDonald's - you've lost this vote next election!"
Dave Schwarz
Just letting you all know I've had councillor Comben reply to my email telling me that was the only decision he could make under "reason and law" and how good it was and how many people were congratulating him on it (15 congratulatory emails and 4 happy people on the street is his total to date) - so please, send the infamous 5 an email or they'll think they've made an intelligent decision!
Ruth Condran
If everyone who said they don't want Maccas in town stick to there convictons and boycott it they won't last long in town.
Cate Murphy
Thank You to all the people that came into" Smokos" today to reassure me that they will still eat with us and not sell out to the ultra cheap McHeartattack and Lies. I wonder how quickly maccas will fund a roundabout on Treelands and Yamba Rd.?.....I wonder how much council earns in all the various stages of development and inspections.?.....I ... See Morewonder how the short sighted five sleep at night ? Wonder I may...no point asking council anything about this as they couldn't lie straight in bed it's easy to see why they voted the way they did. I hope everyone remembers this at election time. You can bet I will be campaigning to remind everyone. I intend to do my own economic impact study of the effect this has on Yamba local businessess. BOYCOTT BOYCOTT BOYCOTT send the bastards broke show them that Yamba is committed, true and resilient....and vote NO to the fools that voted Yes
Michelle Higgins
So sorry to hear about this. When I come back to visit I will not be eating there. I will support the local community not Mccas. Wonder how much they paid the Council???????

After the Intervention: income management research

Conclusion: Income management independent of the government stimulus payment appears to have had no beneficial effect on tobacco and cigarette sales, soft drink or fruit and vegetable sales. Click on image to enlarge.

Two of the researchers writing in Crikey after Federal Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs Jenny Macklin was dismissive of the latest independent study:

However, in contrast to the government report, we found that spending on food and drinks and fruit and vegetables did not change with income management. Soft drinks sales increased.

The one time during income management that spending went up for all store commodities was when people actually had more money: at the time of the government stimulus payment.

Telling people of low income how they can use 50% of their income may make no difference to their spending, but giving a lump of cash does.

I know who I'm inclined to believe and it isn't the Minister.